(Lincoln)-On-campus students at Nebraska's three state colleges in Peru, Wayne and Chadron will pay no more in tuition next year than they did this year after the leaders of those colleges approved a tuition freeze for the 2013-14 school year on Tuesday.

"It's good for us," said Stan Carpenter, chancellor of the Nebraska State College System. "It's good for the state colleges, and it's particularly good for the students."

The Nebraska State College System Board of Trustees signed off on a tuition freeze agreement hammered out during this spring's legislative session. Both the Legislature and Gov. Dave Heineman approved the two-year agreement, though the State College System board voted on just the first year of the agreement Tuesday.

Resident undergraduate students will continue to pay $140 per credit hour next year, and resident graduate students will continue to pay $178 per credit hour. While the agreement with the state only affected resident students, the State College System board approved a tuition freeze for nonresident students as well on Tuesday.

The State College System board also approved a 5 percent increase in tuition for students who take courses only online. That means undergraduate students taking only online courses will now pay $220 per credit hour, while graduate students taking only online courses will now pay $275 per credit hour.

The NSCS board approved room and board increases for each of the state colleges, as well as fee increases. Those increases include:

* A 1.3 percent increase, or $9 more per semester, in fees for Chadron State College students. Those students also will pay 4 percent more for their dorm rooms and 3 percent more for their meal plans.

* A 6.5 percent increase, or $45 more per semester, in fees for Peru State College students. Those students also will pay 8 percent more for their dorm rooms and 9 percent more for their meal plans.

* A 4 percent increase, or $27 more per semester, in fees for Wayne State College students. Those students also will pay 4 percent more for their dorm rooms and 3.5 percent more for their meal plans.

—NSCS Office

- See more at: http://www.csc.edu/modules/news/public_news/view/10390#sthash.qacHhzjm.dpuf